One Year On: Libya’s Long Road to Recovery

On this day last year, our brothers and sisters in Libya were hit by a spate of unforeseen events triggered by Storm Daniel, which led to severe weather conditions and a massive landslide in the Eastern part of the country. The storm caused two dams to burst and buildings to collapse in the region, particularly in Al Bayda, Al Marj and in the coastal city of Derna, causing immense destruction and killing thousands – Subhan'Allah! 

From lifeless bodies being discovered in the sea, along riverbanks, and beneath collapsed buildings, the catastrophic nature of the storm was unbearable. According to a report from Al Jazeera on September 15, 2023, the death toll from flooding in Libya’s coastal city of Derna had reached 4,255 with an additional 8,540 people reported missing. 

The plight of those left behind was unimaginable - entire livelihoods had been destroyed, with essential services such as health, schooling, and water supplies also damaged. 

Unfortunately, due to the past conflicts borne out of protracted political crisis, Libya had already been struggling with public services, health, social protection, and education but the storm caused significant damages to critical infrastructure including bridges, roads, and electricity grids. For the ones already undergoing unimaginable loss of lives and property, the disaster only exacerbated the suffering. 

The flood not only disrupted normal life by submerging countless neighborhoods under water, but it also made it difficult for humanitarian aid to reach people due to the inaccessibility caused by it. 

When the news of the devastation broke, our teams embarked on relentless mission to provide immediate relief to the people of Libya. We endured many challenges while trying to reach those most affected, but together, with the help of our incredible donors we were able to provide urgent aid and restore hope among broken communities.  

Our response focused on safety, warmth, and hygiene, working to avoid. In areas where water sources were compromised there were fears of disease outbreaks due to contaminated water and damaged sanitation systems. We worked tirelessly to reach as many people as possible with clean and safe drinking water, sanitation facilities including toilets and washrooms, temporary shelters, blankets, hygiene packs, medical aid, and food. We worked acrosnortheastern Libya, in areas including Benghazi, Sousa, Derna, and Al-Marj.  

Despite initial obstacles such as unavailability of items, price inflation and transportation, our teams sprang into action and planned activities that were helpful in the procurement of supplies, identifying the crucial needs of families and distributing essential items so that the survivors of this disaster could find comfort and safety. 

Through the support of invaluable donors like you, we supported over 10,000 people - Alhamdulillah.   

Our support for Libya continues to this day! And as we look back on this year of challenges and successes, we are reminded of the immense lasting damage such disasters cause, and the long term need to help families rebuild their lives. So please help us continue our mission to support the people of Libya, and all those suffering the impacts of deadly calamities. 

Please donate to our Emergency Appeals here.